Beauty and the Beast pt 3
by Zakeno
Summary: Coraline must face the crazy blonde and save Wybie, but Gwen has some serious backup, and is even more insane than previously thought. This is part 3, please read part 1 and 2 first. T for language and some scenes. Also, this is the last part.


_**Bleep bleep bleep!**_

**Coraline groaned and groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes. The clock by her bed glared 11:30 in bright red letters, reminding her of what she had to do. She quickly jumped out of bed, and locked her door, not knowing when she'd be back. Just in case, she stuffed some pillows under her covers to make the illusion of a sleeping person lying there. Smiling at her wittiness, Coraline opened her window and slid carefully out onto the roof, shutting the window firmly behind her. Taking a deep breath, the teen shuffled down towards a gnarled oak tree that grasped at the edge of the building. She reached a foot onto a seemingly sturdy limb of the tree, and, confident that it could hold her weight, clambered onto the old tree. She slowly slipped down the tree, cautious of dead branches and weak limbs. It seemed like ages before she touched the ground. Coraline flipped open her phone and grimaced at the time, it was already 11:53. **

**The teen sat down at the base of the tree, pondering her next move. Should she call Gwen? Where would they have taken Wybie? She chewed on her lip worriedly. Eventually she decided to call the crazy blonde. The girl looked through history and found Gwen, and clicked the call button. She held the phone to her face, her heart thumping inside her ribcage.**

_**Ring!**_

_**Thump. Thump. Thump.**_

_**Ring!**_

_**Thump Thump Thump.**_

"**Hello?" sneered the voice on the other line.**

"**Hello you bitchy asshole who should be shoved off a cliff and burn in hell." Coraline growled.**

"**Ah, Coraline. How are you?" Gwen chortled, obviously amused.**

"**Shut up! Where's Wybie?" Coraline asked frantically.**

**Gwen laughed again. "Why, he's right here! What a grand party it is! Too bad you aren't here, huh?" **

"**Where. Are. You?" Coraline growled.**

"**Mmm… like I'd tell you. It's the perfect place to beat the snot out of a nerd though, I'll tell ya." Gwen said.**

"**Fu-" Coraline started to shout.**

"**Now, now, let's not use bad language." Gwen cut her off. "Have you made your decision?"**

"**I hope you die, bitch! I don't think you even have Wybie there. I think you're lying." Coraline screamed at the phone in a massed jumble of words.**

"**Nope, he's definitely here." Gwen said. "Here wait, lemme put it on speaker." Suddenly a mass of voices could be heard, mostly masculine, all laughing, except for one. Coraline recognized it as Wybie's dazed and confused voice.**

"**I'm going to kill you!" Coraline screeched, tears beginning to stain her cheeks. **

**Gwen laughed once more. "Right, right. What's your decision now, hon.?"**

**Coraline paused, trying to think of a plan. Suddenly she thought of a place that they must've taken her friend. She smiled to herself, and began sprinting as fast as she could towards the old cabin. "My decision is to kick your nasty little ass once I see you. I'm never going to join your legions of the undead." She closed her phone and slipped it into her pocket, seeing the cabin coming into sight. The moon was bright and nearly full, easily lighting the blue haired girl's path. She almost laughed out loud in joy as she saw a light coming out of a long crack in the side of the cabin. She slowed her pace, trying to sneak into the cabin. **

**The teen arrived at the door and cautiously peered through a knothole in the wood. A few other teens sat around the cabin, which was illuminated by a bright lantern. Gwen was not there, however one of Gwen's friends from church sat on the old bed, sipping a bottle of beer. A heavier boy sat by the entrance to the old cellar, cracking some racist joke. Finally a tall, muscular boy leaned against the far wall, smoking a cigarette that fogged the little room with a layer of smoke. Coraline stood up and opened the door, sauntering in like she owned the place. The kid with a cigarette quickly stood up and blocked her path.**

"**And where do you think you're going?" he hissed, breathing a cloud of smoke into Coraline's face. She tried her best to not cough.**

"**Gwendolyn called me, see?" the blue haired teen responded in an obnoxious teenage girl stereotype voice. She grabbed her phone and flipped it open, showing the boy the history. He raised a black eyebrow, his green eyes distrustful, and nodded for the girl to come over.**

"'**ey Marisol, who's this bitch?" he almost yelled. **

**Marisol rolled her eyes. "Andrew, am I supposed to know every chick in Oregon?" she snapped. He shrugged.**

**Coraline coughed. "She said that we were beating up some dumb ass here… and that I should tag along." She grinned, trying to hide the sickness she felt. **

**The slightly obese boy got to his feet with some effort, and stretched his back once he was upright. "Now now you two." he bellowed in a deep tone. "Even if this bitch is an imposter, Gwen has the whole football team down there. She wouldn't have any trouble knocking the blue-head out." He smiled at Coraline with a malicious expression. She shifted her weight nervously.**

"**Huh, good point there, Zane." Andrew chuckled. "Let her down."**

**Coraline smiled nervously and gave a little nod of gratitude as Zane lifted the cellar door. Yells and laughter came from the cellar. The teen began to descend into the cellar once more, nervous and afraid. She could see the ground below her, and shut her eyes and jumped down. **

"**Frick!" someone shrieked as Coraline landed on them. She quickly got up and looked around the small but packed room, and took no time in located Gwen.**

"**You bitch!" she yelled, and took a swing at the blonde. An extremely muscular, dirty blonde boy easily stopped her arm, and squeezed it until she thought it was about to snap.**

**Gwen smiled. "Oh hello Coraline." she chirped. "I see you've made it to the party. Did you change your mind?"**

**Coraline tried to shake her arm from the strong grasp. "Hell no! I came to mess up your pretty little face!"**

**This caused much laughter among Gwen's accomplices. Coraline continued to stare cold fire at the blonde girl. Gwen pursed her lips in a fake pout. "Oh… that's too bad." Suddenly her bright red lips parted in a huge smile again. She snapped her fingers. "Tyler?" A boy with rough black hair gave her a thumbs up, then violently kicked a huddled figure in the corner. **

_**Wybie. **_**Coraline thought, her face awash with fear and regret. "Fine! You win! Don't hurt him!" she yelped, her eyes filled with terror.**

"**Hmm?" Gwen inquired, a vicious smile on her face.**

**Coraline looked up, tears in her eyes. "You. Win." she hissed. "I'll join your army, Hitler." **

**Gwen clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! Let's go then, gentlemen!" she sang, waving them to go up the ladder. After all except Tyler had gone up the ladder, Gwen began walking up. In a split second Coraline had leapt at her, grabbing a jar of buttons. She slung it at the blonde's head, and hit her harshly, the jar shattering and buttons flying everywhere. Gwen fell to the ground with a screech, before lying fairly still on the ground, her only movement being her chest as she breathed. Blood began oozing from cuts on the back of her head and neck.**

**Tyler yelled and sprung at Coraline, throwing her against the wall. The girl yelped and struggled, trying to throw him off. The boy pulled his fist back and then punched Coraline straight in the face. She screamed and then bit his arm fiercely, which made Tyler's grip falter, allowing Coraline to escape. She backed to the opposite wall.**

**He stared at her, a cold fury burning in his deep brown eyes. Then his anger frown turned into a vicious smile, and he turned his attention back to the huddled figure in the corner, who covered his frizzy head in a weak effort to protect himself. Tyler kicked Wybie again, and then drew his fist back and punched the helpless hunchback. Coraline screeched in fury and horror before throwing herself at the boy, wrapping her fingers around his throat. Tyler had anticipated the move however, and turned on her, grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully. The girl cried in pain, and kicked the black haired kid sharply in the shins. He winced but did not falter, and again threw Coraline against the wall. This time her face was smashed into the cold cement, scraping her cheek painfully. Tyler punched her twice in the back before she fell to the ground. **

**Tyler spat at her, the saliva landing right by her face. Coraline regained her strength partially and shakily stood up. She threw a punch at the base of the boy's neck, and he howled in pain and turned on her. **

"**You little bitch!" he shouted, and picked her up, barely any strain being put on his muscular arms. Coraline clawed at his hands, and looked behind her. With horror she discovered that she was about to be thrown at a wall of shelves. Frantic, the girl kicked and screamed. **

**Tyler sneered, feeling victorious. He tossed her at the shelves like a rag doll, and she felt her head sling forward into her chest agonizingly as she hit a shelf. She fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. **

"**I hope you ladies enjoy your stay down here." Tyler said, kicking Coraline in the ribs. She cried out helplessly, and tried to stand up, but couldn't. He lifted up the unconscious Gwen with a grunt, and began to stagger up the ladder. Coraline's vision was hazing, and she could feel herself slipping. The last sound she heard was the loud bang of the heavy cellar door shutting. **

**---**

"**Coraline? Coraline please get up!"**

"**Nnnhhhh…"**

**The frantic voice echoed in her head once again, a little less faint. "Oh please Coraline, stay with me!"**

**Coraline blinked open her eyes, now aware of an intense throbbing in the back of her skull. "Hmmm…?" she asked groggily, her vision a blur.**

"**Coraline?" the figure above her asked.**

**The girl lifted her arm and rubbed her eyes. She stared at her hand, now realizing that blood had been what blurred her vision so drastically. "Wybie?" she asked hazily. She widened her eyes and tried to get up quickly, but ended up only falling over again, extremely dizzy. "What the-?!" she yelped, pain clawing at her skull. **

"**They hurt you badly." Wybie said, frowning worriedly. "You need to go to a hospital, I think." he added, looking around.**

"**I'm fine!" she argued stubbornly. Coraline sat up with much effort. "Where are those assholes?!" she yelled angrily, trying to stand up, leaning heavily on the shelves. **

"**Partying above us." Wybie sighed, staring up at the ceiling hatefully. He tried to help her stand with one arm, keeping the other firmly grasped around his chest. The girl realized this was because it was hurt. "Oh shit, oh shit!" Coraline yelped frantically, dizziness beginning to cloud her thoughts again. "Can we get out?"**

**Wybie chewed on the inside of his cheek, and shook his head. "They locked it. The door won't budge."**

"**Damnit!" Coraline yelled.**

"**C-Can you let down on the cursing? A little?" Wybie asked, looking down. "I know it's a tense situation… it's j-just we don't need it any tenser."**

**Coraline blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's just… crap!" She was beginning to get her head back, and limped over to the ladder shakily. Dizziness still clogged her head. She gripped a rung firmly, and began to painfully haul herself up to the door. She knocked on it and yelled out, "Gwen! What the hell are you going to do with us?!"**

**There was no answer for a few seconds, then Gwen's voice came from above. "You could've killed me. In return I'm letting you two stay down there until you either die, or are found by rescue teams." There was a pause. "But since I'm going to tell them you both drowned while skinny dipping together in the river, I think death is more likely." she added with an insane cackle. **

**Coraline's face turned bright red and she punched the door where she figured Gwen's face was. A satisfying 'ouch!' answered her. "You forgot, I have my cell phone!"**

"**Oh, do you?" Gwen said casually.**

**Coraline checked her pocket, then started banging on the door in terror. "You took my phone!" she yelled. "You took my phone, you psychopath!"**

"**Indeed I did." Gwen answered, nonchalant. **

"**You murderer! What the hell is wrong with you?" Coraline screamed, infuriated. **

"**I'm never turned down." Gwen repeated, a fiendish smile on her lips. She stomped on the cellar door, causing Coraline to lose her grip. The teen fell a ways down, but managed to catch herself and clung desperately to the creaky ladder. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Coraline descended down into the cellar.**

"**What's the verdict?" Wybie asked, rushing over to support the trembling girl.**

**Coraline looked up at him, dread-struck, feeling tears springing to her eyes as realization hit her. "She's going to kill us."**

"**What?" Wybie asked, the news not quite registering in his mind. "She's going to KILL us?"**

**Coraline had began to cry, her hazel eyes burning with tears. "She's gonna kill us." she repeated, her voice cracking.**

"**What the hell?!" Wybie yelled, pacing around the room. **

"**I know." Coraline sniffled, wiping her eyes.**

**Wybie turned to her. "She's going to kill us?!" he asked skeptically.**

**Coraline nodded, trying to keep herself from crying. She slipped to the floor weakly, cradling her face in her knees. "We're going to die here."**

**Wybie cursed, and began hauling Coraline to her feet. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm gonna get out of here."**

"**How?" the girl asked tearfully.**

"**Well whoever camped here was obviously spying on the Pink Palace, right?" Wybie started.**

"**Right…" Coraline replied, not sure what his plan was.**

"**Then he or she wouldn't have wanted anyone seeing them spying. If they walked to the Pink Palace via the forest, there's a chance s-someone could see them."**

**Coraline nodded at him to continue.**

"**There's got to be a passage around here somewhere." Wybie concluded, and began to look through the room for a lever or anything suspicious.**

**Coraline groaned. "Are you kidding me?! This isn't Scooby Doo!" she yelled.**

**Wybie continued along the wall. "Would you rather die?" he asked, concentrating.**

**The girl groaned and began to heave herself back on her feet, and just watched him patting the walls. "It's not going to work. We're dead." she said darkly.**

**Wybie ignored her and continued on tapping the walls. Coraline snorted and fell back against the wall. Her hair caught in a little crevice as she slid down. "Ow!" she yelped, clutching her sore scalp.**

**Wybie ran over to aid the girl, but something caught his attention and he ran past her to the wall instead.**

"**Thanks for being so concerned." she growled dryly. **

"**You found it!" he shouted, grinning widely. He dug his gloved hands into the crevice and began to yank the heavy stone door open with his one good arm.**

**Coraline stood up again, wincing, and tried her best to help. After a few minutes of pulling it open, the opening was wide enough for someone to fit through. Wybie waved her though, and the blue haired girl crept into the tunnel. It was dark and musty and had a foul, sour odor, reminding her heavily of the other world. She began to feel sick and claustrophobic. The only light came from the cellar, and that light was blocked as Wybie shuffled through. **

**He began to pull the door shut again, and to his surprise it slammed shut, reverberating a bang throughout the tunnel. Clusters of dirt and rocks fell from the ceiling, making both teens freeze in place. The debris stopped falling, and Coraline sighed in relief.**

**Wybie stayed still for a moment longer, staring apprehensively into the darkness. "They'll have heard that." he whispered. "We need to move."**

"**Where?" Coraline asked, not able to see a thing. She experimentally began walking in the direction that she thought was where the tunnel continued on, only to run straight into the wall. She cursed and felt around her, trying to get her bearings.**

**Wybie grabbed her hand, and started to lead her through the nothingness. "This way." he replied, running his gloved hand along the wall. It made a light scraping sound. Coraline blundered blindly behind him, squeaking as a spider web brushed against her face. **

**Far behind the duo, arguing could be heard, and then the grating sound of the stone door as it opened. **

"**Move!" Coraline hissed desperately, shoving Wybie to increase his pace. They staggered through the shadows, hearing a more running and shouting behind them. **

"**Damnit! Don't let them escape!" screamed Gwen, jostling Tyler and the blonde boy, named Vaughn, to hurry up. "If they escape we're all screwed!" she shrieked.**

"**Frick! Wybie, you need to RUN!" Coraline whispered harshly. **

"**It's dark!" he yelped, tripping over a rock.**

"**RUN!" Coraline repeated, and dashed ahead of him, yanking him through the abyss. Footsteps could be heard clattering not far behind them. Wybie picked up a rock and tossed it behind them, and a yelp answered him. **

"**Get up Vaughn!" Gwen screeched. "They can't be far ahead!"**

**A small light began to illuminate the passage ahead of them. Coraline ran as fast as she could towards it, but a rock tripped her, and she flew forward, falling hard upon the cold ground. Her breath rushed out of her lungs in a gust of air, and she flailed around, trying to get up. Wybie yanked her upwards, and half dragged her towards the light. **

"**There! I see them!" Tyler yelled.**

"**Eep!" Coraline yelped, trying to regain herself. It must've only been a few seconds before they broke out into the open. To Wybie's dismay, the opening to the tunnel was in a thicket of brambles, and the plants mercilessly scraped and clawed and the teen's legs. He took a sharp turn and Coraline followed, wincing as a thorn sunk into her heel. She stopped suddenly, not knowing where Wybie had gone. She heard Gwen shouting as she and her accomplices began to make it out of the tunnel. Suddenly something yanked the girl under the brambles. She shrieked and tried to fight back.**

"**Shhh!" Wybie hissed, turning his head away from her punches.**

**Coraline immediately stopped struggling. "Oh crap, I'm sorry." she whispered quietly. They both crouched down and listened for Gwen.**

"**Ack!" the blonde squealed as they arrived outside. "Tyler, carry me!" she commanded, and he picked her up without hesitation. **

"**I heard the blue-head yell, it came from over there." Vaughn remarked, stepping into the thorns. Wybie glared at Coraline, who looked down, mouthing 'sorry'.**

"**Then go kill her!" Gwen screamed furiously, her voice closer now. Tyler had followed the dirty blonde kid out into the vicious plants. Their footsteps came nearer. Coraline and Wybie both crouched down as low as they could, not daring to breathe. **

**Suddenly a tennis shoe appeared just a few feet in front of Coraline face. She almost screamed, but kept quiet. Right above their heads an argument could be heard.**

"**You idiots lost them!" Gwen shrilled.**

"**We didn't know there was a door down in the cellar!" Tyler shouted back.**

"**Ugh!" Gwen yelled angrily. "Well we can't let them get away!"**

**The foot moved an inch closer to Coraline. "Well what do you want us to do?" Vaughn growled.**

"**I want you to find those nerds!" Gwen screamed exasperatedly. **

"**We're looking!" Tyler shouted.**

**The foot stepped right by Coraline face. She tried her best to stay completely still, her lungs about to burst. It seemed like hours before he finally stepped away, Gwen still whining loudly.**

**Coraline exhaled too quickly after they left. Then she gasped for air and covered her mouth, realizing how loud that must've been.**

**The footsteps of the searching teens stopped abruptly. "Did you hear that?" snarled Tyler. Vaughn nodded. **

"**Get them!" Gwen screeched again. Tyler rolled his eyes. **

"**Yes your majesty." Vaughn said, ignoring the glare Gwen shot at him.**

**The footsteps came closer once again. Coraline looked around, trying to devise a plan. "Come on, Wybie!" she hissed, and began crawling through the brambles, ignoring the scratches at her face. She could hear Wybie following. **

"'**Ay! Shut up, Ty!" Vaughn growled suddenly. "I think I hear something!"**

"**I think I hear it too!"**

"**Shut up, you dorks!" Gwen shouted. "Find. Them!" **

**Vaughn mumbled something unintelligible, but started to walk carefully in the direction of Coraline ad Wybie. **

"**Crap." Coraline hissed, hearing him getting nearer. Suddenly a thought flashed across her mind, and she smiled. "I have a plan. Wybie, you get out of here. I'll catch up with you." He hesitated for a moment, but nodded, shuffling through the maze of brambles. The girl turned towards the advancing pair of feet, thinking fast. She grabbed a thorn-covered branch above her and shook it. **

"**Dude, something just moved in front of me!" "Shut up Vaughn, catch it!" **

"**What if it's not them?"**

"**Just catch it!"**

**Coraline readied herself as the hands shot towards her. In a flash she bit it, and made a growling sound, trying to seem as animal as possible.**

"**Shit!" Vaughn yelped, pulling back his hand. "Oh my god, what if it's a bear?!"**

**Tyler sighed, shoving him aside. "It would be bigger, dumb ass." He reached his hand at Coraline too, and grabbed her hair. She made a snarling sound and took a bramble branch, using it to cut Tyler's arm. He shouted and retracted his arm. "You're right!" he yelped. "There's an animal in there!"**

**Gwen just climbed down from Tyler, a smile on her lips. "Coraline, Coraline, Coraline." she noted smoothly. "Always the party animal, aren't you?" **

**Coraline could hear both the boys nearing once more, and quickly leapt up, running trough the brambles. She struggled to stay ahead of the trio, just barely escaping the grabs each teen made for her. She could see the end of the brambles, and remembered the thorn in her foot. The blue haired teen wasn't sure if she could escape them. She leapt out of the thorn bushes, and sprinted as fast as she could towards the Pink Palace, the teens behind her gaining quickly. Gwen reached her first, tackling the blue haired girl, who screamed and cried as she fell to the ground with a loud thud. Gwen sunk her red nails into the teen's arm, smiling viciously. **

"**On most circumstances I might let you go." the blonde started, cackling. "But I've already told your parents that you're dead… and I'd hate to disappoint them. You see, I'm supposed to find your dead body. And if there wasn't one… well that wouldn't go so well for me."**

"**Please let me go!" Coraline cried, tears running down her face.**

**Gwen faked a frown. "I already told you, I can't." Coraline's head throbbed painfully, and she struggled as best she could, but was still weak.**

"**No, let me go!" Coraline shouted again. "Don't kill me!"**

"**Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'd hate to get my hands dirty." Gwen said reassuringly. Coraline sighed with relief. "I'm going to let Tyler and Vaughn do that, they really have something against you after you hit me with that jar, hehe!" she chirped. Her expression turned serious once again. "But first… where's Wybie? You see, we can't let either of you get away. It would ruin the plan."**

**Coraline shook her head. "Like I'd tell you." she growled.**

"**Mm… I figured as much." Gwen removed her nails from Coraline's arm, and gripped the blue-haired girl's throat. "Now what was that?"**

"**I don't know!" Coraline shouted, clawing at the hand at her throat. Gwen tightened her grasp. "I don't know!!" Coraline repeated, choking. **

**Gwen sat up. Coraline began to get up too, but the blonde kicked her hard enough that she fell face-down on the ground once more. "Ugh. Well we found you, I think we can find the other kid. Vaughn, you're with me. Tyler, you have your fun." Tyler smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Ta-ta Coraline! It was nice to know you." She and the dirty blonde boy walked off, chatting as if nothing was wrong.**

**Coraline again tried to stand up, only to be kicked in the face. She spat out blood, and tried to shuffle away. Thwack! Tyler kicked her again in the ribs, and Coraline cried out as she felt one of the bones snap. Nevertheless, she tried to stand up once more, only to be pummeled to the ground. She felt like a mouse, Tyler being a cat who played with his prey. This continued on for several more minutes, every time she moved, he hit her again.**

_**Whup!**_

**Coraline winced and covered her head, expecting to be kicked again. Nothing happened. She peeked out from under her bruised arms to see Tyler in a crumpled heap. She staggered upright, wincing at the crippling pain in her ribs and head. She looked around hazily, clutching her ribcage agonizingly. **

"**Are you ok?" said the familiar voice directly behind her. Coraline jumped in surprise, and then winced, the small movement causing her an enormous amount of pain. She shook her head.**

"**Better than you would've been if I just left you." Wybie noted, his arm still firmly grasped around his chest. He kicked Tyler lightly.**

"**Is he alive?" Coraline asked, gnawing on her lip.**

"**Well duh." Wybie answered. "I'm not a killer. I just hit him with a rock. In fact… we should probably leave. Like now. "**

**Coraline nodded. "I need help though… I think my rib's broken."**

"**Crap, I shouldn't have waited so long to K.O. that ass!" Wybie whimpered, apprehensively running his fingers though his hair. **

"**It's good you did… Gwen and that Vaughn kid just left looking for you." Coraline answered weakly. "Now help me." Wybie hooked arms with her, careful not to move his hurt arm. He tensed his arm as she leaned on it. Slowly they made their way through the forest and towards Wybie's house, avoiding the Pink Palace since that was the direction Gwen and Vaughn had headed in. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Coraline mostly grimacing in pain.**

**Finally Wybie spoke. "That was pretty funny when you bit Vaughn's hand and they flipped out."**

"**Heh" Coraline laughed weakly. "Yeah."**

"**I thought your plan was going to work… so I ran. Which was stupid." Wybie noted, looking at the ground. "When you didn't come over, I went looking for you, and then I saw Gwen and Vaughn leaving toward the Pink Palace."**

**Coraline looked at him. He looked like he was about to cry.**

"**I thought you were dead…" he continued. "So I went looking for you. I'm glad I made it to you in time… that bastard was about to punch you in the head." He took a shaky breath, regaining himself. "So I grabbed a rock and chucked it at him."**

**Coraline recognized a tire-swing as they passed it, and knew they were almost to the house. She tripped on an exposed root, dragging Wybie down with her as she fell. She winced and cried out as she hit the ground, her broken rib agonizing. She began to cry and threw her arms around Wybie, burying her tearstained face into his chest. **

"**It's my fault all this happened!" she cried.**

"**No, it isn't." Wybie said softly, holding her to him.**

"**I shouldn't have gone against her will…" Coraline choked.**

**Wybie shook his head. "No, you did everything you could. Who would've guessed that Gwen was **_**this **_**messed up?"**

"**She wanted me to abandon you…" the girl continued. Wybie was silent, waiting for her to carry on. "But I couldn't, and not just because you're my friend…" She looked up at him with tearful hazel eyes. "I need to tell you something."**

"**I'm listening." replied the boy, concern in his eyes. A breeze blew through the forest, shaking the trees slightly. The air was warm, even though the sun wouldn't rise for another hour or so, and fireflies droned quietly through the air. Coraline realized how wonderful of a night it was, if you looked past the injuries and the psychopathic blonde scouring the forest for the duo this very second.**

**Coraline drew a shaky breath, looking down, her face reddening. "I…" she started, feeling her voice crack again. "I think I lo-…**_**like**_**- you." she confessed. There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds.**

**Wybie smiled, his lips pressing softly against the top of her head. She looked up at him again, confused. "I've been waiting for you to say that." he murmured. Coraline felt the breath catch in her throat, and her heart pounded. Her face was only a breath away from his… and she leaned in closer, closing her eyes, her face bright red and her heart feeling like it was about to beat right on out of her chest. She felt his rough, cracked lips against her own, and wanted to scream, an intensely eager and apprehensive building up in her heart. **

"**Coraline Jones!" Mel roared, standing just a few feet from the couple. They broke apart quickly, both blushing intensely. "So it's true!" **

**Coraline swallowed the lump in her throat. "What's true?" she queried.**

"**You two were skinny dipping and drowned!" Mel yelled, her face contorted into a furious expression.**

**The blue haired teen slapped herself mentally. "Mom, that never happened! And we'd be dead if we drowned!" she screamed back.**

"**Well you both are obviously beaten up!" Mel raved on. "You probably just barely survived!"**

"**No, Mom, this crazy psycho girl tried to kill us!" Coraline argued.**

**Gwen stepped out from the brush behind Mel, accompanied by Vaughn and a **_**very **_**pissed-off looking Tyler. "They're delusional, I'm afraid, Mrs. Jones…" the blonde said in an obviously fake tone of concern. Coraline and Wybie froze. "After hitting that many rocks in the rapids… eesh… I'd say they might be brain damaged for life." she continued, pursing her lips.**

**Mel clenched her fists tightly at her sides. "You didn't actually buy that… did you?" Coraline stammered.**

"**Maybe we're going too far…" Vaughn whispered at Gwen.**

"**Shut up!" she hissed, elbowing him. Vaughn glared at her. **

"**No." he snarled, shoving her away. "I've had enough of this shit." He stepped forward. **

**Gwen stared wide-eyed at him. "What the hell are you doing, Vaughn?!"**

**He ignored her. "Mrs. Jones, Coraline is telling the truth."**

"**No!" Gwen shrieked, her teeth clenched.**

"**Gwen really did want to kill them… and Tyler almost did." Vaughn continued, frowning. "And I helped… I'm really sorry… I guess sorry isn't-"**

"**Raaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!" Tyler roared, launching himself at the dirty-blonde. They fell in a heap, punching and attacking one another. Gwen took a step back, wide-eyed and nervous. She stared at the two tussling boys, and then looked and Coraline and Wybie with a fiery hatred, her lip curling.**

"**The stress of this situation is getting to everyone…" she growled, not taking her gaze off of the two teens who were huddled together. **

**Mel stood with her arms limp at her sides, trying to figure out what was going on. Gwen continued her speech, trying to weasel out of the hole she'd dug herself into. "Poor boys… they seem to snap easily. Sometimes it's best to just let them punch it out… why there was one time that-"**

"**Oh, shut up!" Mel snarled, slapping the blonde clear across the face. Gwen made a little squeal of surprise, holding onto her reddening face. "Now I want you to go crying home right now, and face your parents, whom I'm going to call in a few minutes. If you're lucky you'll have a week before court." Mel growled, turning her back on Gwendolyn, and walking towards Coraline and Wybie. "Are you ok?" she asked.**

**Coraline snickered at Gwen, and began to stand up laboriously with the aid of her mother. "Way to go, mom!" she croaked, her voice weak and tired. Wybie stood up after her, wincing when his arm shifted. **

"**Are you ok?" Mel repeated, her eyes filled with worry.**

"**Umm… not really…" Coraline answered, shrugging slightly. She winced at that move, her injured rib moving slightly. She glanced at Wybie. "Neither of us are ok."**

"**Why did you sneak out?" Mel fussed.**

"**To save him… Gwen called and told me that she was going to beat him up." Coraline mumbled, gesturing towards Wybie. She stepped out of the way of the two boys who were still mauling each other.**

**Mel glanced at the boys but didn't do anything. "You should've told me." she whined.**

**Coraline didn't bother to argue with her. "You're right mom, I'm sorry." she grumbled.**

"**Hey! Break it up!" Mel roared, and the two boys paused in their feuding "Get out of here." she barked. They stood up, dusting themselves off. Vaughn pat Tyler on the back, and he recoiled, curling his lip.**

"**Come on Ty, we're best friends. Are we going to let some hot chick get in the way of that?" Vaughn reasoned. Tyler shrugged, and they walked off. Coraline shook her head.**

"**I am never going to understand boys." she said under her breath. Together the three made their way back to the Pink Palace, and eventually to the hospital. Coraline was all in all glad for the eventful night, she had bagged Gwen, had her first kiss, and kicked some serious butt. If not for the broken rib and concussion, the night would've been perfect. As they sat in the car on the way to the hospital, Coraline felt peaceful and overjoyed, leaning her head on Wybie's shoulder. It had become a happy ending after all.**

**~Epilogue~**

**It was now weeks after that eventful night, and the day was warm, the sun at its highest point in the bright blue Oregon sky. Flies buzzed lazily through the air, and cars passed through downtown Ashland frequently. Coraline and Wybie sat outside a little coffee shop in the downtown square. Coraline kicked her feet leisurely, studying the cars as they drove by, all the while sipping at a smoothie.**

"**Slugbug!" she shouted as a red Volkswagen Beetle puttered by. The teen promptly whacked Wybie's arm, grinning widely.**

"**Ow." he stated, flinching. He was about to grab the sore arm before realizing that his broken arm was still in its cast. He studied the orange cast ruefully, chewing on his lip. **

**Coraline noticed him observing the cast, and quickly chirped, "Well at least you **_**have a cast. My rib's unprotected from the horrors of exercise! If I did jumping jacks it would probably snap off and kill me, you know." Wybie chuckled and looked up from his cast. **_

_**The blue haired teen smiled, glad to have taken his attention from that. "Well, well, well! Look who it is, sweeping the sidewalk!" she waved at the blonde haired girl. Gwen ignored Coraline. "Ah, it is a wonderful thing, suing. Just look at all the crap we've bought, Gwen!" she continued, lifting up a bag of random items ranging from a jack-in-the-box to a few pairs of crazy glasses. "God bless America!" she yelled, grinning. She cringed a little when her rib gave a little twinge of soreness, but kept her grin.**_

_**Gwen looked up, frowning. "Whatever." she shouted lamely. Coraline laughed again, leaning back into the wrought iron chair. She tapped the glass-topped table with her blue fingernails. **_

_**Wybie sipped his smoothie. "So were we going back to the cabin anytime soon?"**_

_**Coraline shrugged. "You know what… it's just an old cabin."**_

_**Wybie smiled and nodded.**_

"_**Sooooo…" she rambled. "Death by Zombie III is out in theaters… ya wanna go catch that? There's a showing in 8 minutes." **_

"_**Sure." Wybie answered, tossing his empty smoothie cup in the trash.**_

"_**I'll beat ya there!" Coraline shouted, tossing hers too, and standing up quickly. She ignored the pain in her ribs.**_

"_**Yeah, right!" Wybie laughed, jogging ahead of her. Coraline snorted, but couldn't pick up her pace because of her rib. What a wonderful summer it was showing up to be. She now looked forward to high school, and felt as if she could take on the world. But until then hanging out with Wybie would suffice. Eventually she'd ask him if he wanted to go out… but there was no rush in that. They were the best of friends, and when the time was right they could go to the next level. But one thing was for certain in Coraline's mind, no matter what, Wybie would always be her beast, and Coraline would always be his beauty. **_


End file.
